For some of the monsters there is the Horror Compainion._________________"I say Mr. Chesterson, is that a giant ether squid following us?"
"Why yes it is Mrs. Monns."
"Well guess we should get ready to receive it."
"Blast I hate squid for dinner."
"But the cook has a new recipe.."

The horror companion is a great tool for a SINS game, although I wouldn't bother using sanity rules. The monster/npc selection, as well as the rituals and magical tomes, are all great things to have for SINS. Of course I want someone to be able to use SINS with just the core rules, so I need to provide at least all the monsters included in the case generator.

Further thoughts...
The more I dwell on it, the more I think I need to rework the Monsters and NPCs chapter. The section full of "mortals," like criminals and similar is fine, but the spellcasters and monsters need to be reworked. I prefer more of a "Teach a man to fish" approach here.

So... what if I make a section called "magic users" or whatever, and inside I include 3 basic sets of spell caster stats for novices, experienced users, and masters. I then include some notes on customizing them based on themes, like Hedge Wizard, Shaman, Necromancer, Ghost Eater, Pact Bound.

Next I have a section on Monsters, covering basic ideas of monsters in the setting. Maybe I list a few monster archetypes with generic stats like Hunter, Destroyer, Caster, Drone, Beguiler, and Warrior. Then I give instructions on converting those base stats into particular categories of creatures like Demon, Fey, Ghost, Unique, etc. After that I have a selection of creatures with short stat blocks: Demonic Hound, Horned Lord Demon, Siren Demon, Bogeyman, Wolf-Bonded, Werewolf, Harpy, changeling, Muse, etc.

Part of the cheat here is that the really basic stuff for each creature type (common Resistances/regeneration and vulnerabilities) is listed in one place instead of with each monster they apply to.

The good part about this is it gives the Directors the ability to make monsters on their own, but the question is weather or not I can pull it off well, and still have the example creatures be low or 0-prep.

Archetypes:Beguiler - Creatures that influence and control people. Muses and Siren Demons.
Caster - Magic using creatures, like Fey Lords, Pact making demons, etc.
Destroyers - Big damage causing monsters, like 30 foot tall demons. The kind of thing you need serious firepower to kill... like using a police car to knock one into the Mississippi river (Flowing Water)
Drone - Simple non-wild card creatures like Demonic Hounds. Generic Extra monsters.
Hunter - A creature that stalks from darkness, like Boogeymen or some werewolves.
Warrior - A forward and aggressive creature, like some demons or were-creatures.

The objective here is to make a SINS monster tool box that can be used to quickly develop monsters depending on the needs of an episode. Need a manipulator demon? Use Beguiler base stats, Demon traits, and a bit of customizing/re-skinning. Did the players just release the ghost of a T-Rex to rampage through a city park? Destroyer with Ghost traits is a good place to start. Boogeyman stealing children from the orphanage? Hunter with Fey traits.

This system isn't intended to be comprehensive. Not all monsters can or should be built this way, and while a helpful framework, it doesn't tell you what specific customizations should be made for any given monster.

Of course experienced Directors (Game Masters) can make up new creature whole cloth, but this tool box with its examples, will help newer Directors more than a creature list, and can prove useful for improvising monsters.

Monster Bases:

Beguilers
Beguiler monsters are in some ways the most dangerous. They are spirits that prey on human nature, manipulating and controlling people through both schemes and direct magic. Many Beguilers have a method concealing their supernatural nature, such as an alternate human looking form or remaining invisible. Siren demons and Muses are common examples of Beguilers.
Beguiler Monster Base
Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Fighting d8, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Occult) d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d10, Stealth d6, Streetwise d6, Taunt d8, Throwing d6
Charisma: +2, Pace: 6, Parry 6, Toughness 5
Special Abilities:
Charm: Beguilers can use the Puppet power using their Smarts attribute instead of a skill. They may cast and maintain the power infidelity, but only on one target at a time.

Casters
Caster monsters are creatures that are magically potent. They have a selection of spells and the power points to use them. Casters are often reliant on their powers for both protection and offensive abilities, and immortal spirits can have access to especially strange or uncommon spells. Fey Nobles, and Horned Lord Demons are examples of Casters.
Caster Monster Base
Agility d8, Smarts d10, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d6, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d4, Throwing d6
Pace: 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5
Special Abilities:
Spells: Caster Monsters have 20 Power Points and know 5 spells. They typically have at least one defensive and one offensive spell.

Warriors
Warrior monsters are those dedicated to combat and fighting. They aren't as large and destructive as Destroyers, or as sneaky as Hunters, but frequently more directly combative and skilled. Warriors typically have armor and weapons, even natural ones like thick hide and calws, and often have a few powers dedicated to improving their combat abilities, and especially effectiveness against groups. Some abominations, demons, fey knights, and revenants would fit this category.
Warrior Monster base
Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Fighting d10, Intimidation d10, Notice d6, Stealth d4
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 10 (3)
Special Abiilties:
Armor: +3, typically worn armor or thick hide.
Damage Ability: Str+d8, typically a weapon or claws/bite.
Improved Frenzy: Warriors may make two attacks at no penalty.

Monster Types:

Abominations
Abominations are humans that have used a corrupt version of the nature spirit bonding ritual to bind an unwilling nature spirit to their will. Afterwords they may call upon the spirit to partially transform, taking on a half-man, half-animal form. The nature spirits rage against the binding, and that rage bleeds through into the behavior of the partially transformed character, often making them aggressive, and often leading to madness from long term exposure. The transformation can be a rush to the user, and is often addictive. The binding ritual involves a specific binding object, often related in shape or material to the spirit involved, that the Abomination needs in order to take on their hybrid form. These totem object, like most belongings, merge into the hybrid form. Many abominations take on extra senses, attacks, and modes of movement related to the animal spirit.
Tip: When building an abomination, build two sets of stats: one for the normal mortal form, and one for the hybrid form. The Abomination common traits bellow cover the hybrid form only. The human forms are essentially normal humans.
Abomination Common Traits
Fast Regeneration: Abominations make vigor check once a round to remove wounds or the incapacitated state, even when "killed." Abominations also get a +2 to recover from being Shaken.
Weakness (Fire): Wounds from fire do not regenerate.
Weakness (Silver): Wounds from silver do not regenerate.
Weakness (Totem): Abominations require their totem object to transform into their hybrid forms. Without the totem object, they are stuck as humans. Totem objects merge into the hybrid form and can be removed while transformed.

Changelings
Changelings are common animals that have been transformed into humans by devious fey magic. Sometimes a spirit of fairies steels a child from it's crib, but to fulfill it's fey honor, leaves behind a changeling replacement. Changelings that live long enough to grow-up rarely suspect their true nature until something happens that causes the transforming spell to weaken. Typically strong emotional states, not uncommon in puberty, cause the magic to falter and results in temporary lapses into a hybrid human-animal form. Eventually such lapses can unravel the spell completely and the changeling permanently reverts to a common animal. Changelings also revert upon death. Changelings retain their animal soul and tend to exhibit behaviors in life that reflex their true nature. They sadly also retain their animal life-spark, and have life spans limited to that of their true species, often dying very young by human standards. The Changelings in their hybrid/lapsed state often exhibit a combination of ability between their animal and human forms including specialized movement like swimming, jumping, crawling, or flying, as well as claws, talons, fangs, etc. Some grow or shrink in size, becoming closer to their animal form's real size.
Tip: When making a Changeling, develop two sets of stats: one for the human form, and one for the hybrid form. The common abilities listed below apply to both forms, but the skills and attributes vary, and the presence of claws or other animal features are only in the hybrid form.
Changeling Common Traits:
Fast Regeneration: Thanks to the fey transformation spell constantly imposing a human form, the changeling makes a vigor roll once a round to remove a wound or the incapacitated state. The changeling may even revive from death.
Weakness (Fire): Wounds from fire do not regenerate.
Weakness (Wrought Iron): Wounds from cold iron do not regenerate.

Demonic Spirits
Demons are a category of spirit from beyond the veil that are known for their destructive and natures, and are sadly among the spirits most interested in humanity. Demons are especially interested in collecting human souls, and frequently make deals with individual humans to that end. Most demons take on Spirit Bodies when in the mortal world, and sustain those spirit bodies through devouring flesh, with many demons developing a preference for particular "foods", like virgins, bone marrow, eyes, etc. Some demons can also possess people or objects, and must be expelled from the host before they can be properly battled.
Minor demons tend to be resistant to normal attacks, suffering only half-damage from anything that isn't a weakness. More important demons frequently have Invulnerability to anything that isn't their weakness. Rare, often unique ancient demons of legend and prophecy, may have non-standard vulnerabilities instead of holy water and iron.
Demon Common Traits:
Driven: +2 on Spirit Rolls to recover from being shaken.
Immunity: Fire
Invulnerability: Can only be wounded by a listed weakness.
Spirit Body: When a demon's spirit body is destroyed in the mortal world, it's spirit is cast back across the veil.
Weakness (Holy Symbols): When presented with one, the demon must make a Spirit roll or be shaken.
Weakness (Holy Water): Does 2d6 damage if splashed, destruction if submerged
Weakness (Running Water): Submersion destroys them.
Weakness (Wrought Iron): By passes Invulnerability or Resistance.

Fey Spirits
Fairies encompass a large number of stranger entities that vary between lithe humanoids of magical prowess to tiny winged sprites and even monstrous creatures easily mistaken for demons. The fey are interested in humanity for the spark of mortal life. Because the spark of life is brightest in children, fairies frequently make deals with mortals in exchange for their children, often agreeing to take a first born years later in exchange for a wish or favor now. Fairies tend to rely on magical abilities over physical ones, and would be much more dangerous if they weren't bound by a strange code of honor. Fairies seem unable to lie, may be bound by a bargain, and can not take or receive without some kind of reciprocation or permission. Stranger still, fairies can be manipulated by their own true names, although the details vary by fairy. most fairies form spirit bodies in the mortal world, which they sustain with common food, often with a preference for milk or cream, bread, honey, mead, and wines.
Fey Common Traits:
Fairy Doors: Fairy doors are marked out doorways with matching magic symbols in the center. Fairies may open these "doors," effectively teleporting from one spot to another. Others may travel through the doors while they are open, but treat them as simply graffiti when closed.
Invulnerability: Can only be wounded by a listed weakness.
Spirit Body: When a fey's spirit body is destroyed in the mortal world, it's spirit is cast back across the veil.
Weakness (Name): A fey that hears it's true name spoken backwards by a mortal suffers 2d6 damage which bypasses armor.
Weakness (Fey Honor): Fey are unable to tell a direct lie, and can not break a bargain struck. They may still lie by omission and misdirection.
Weakness (Running Water): Submersion destroys them.
Weakness (Wrought Iron): Bypasses Invulnerability.

Ghosts
Ghosts are the spirits of the dead, typically dead humans. Normally when a person dies, their spirit is carried beyond the veil, but sometimes a spirit anchors itself to the mortal world, seeking to hold onto it's life or complete some unfulfilled task. Other ghosts have passed beyond the veil and return through a crack in the veil or because they were summoned through magic. Ghosts are a device lot. Many are just strong enough to linger, but have very little abilities beyond that. Others have exhibited terrible supernatural feats beyond their abilities in life. Ghosts, already being dead, are notoriously difficult to "kill" but if the reason for them to remain in the world is fulfilled, they can move on willingly. Alternatively, if their anchoring object is discovered and destroyed, they can be sent on willing or not.
Ghost Common Traits:
Anchor Bound: Ghosts anchor themselves to the world by attaching themselves to some object of meaning to them. It might be a favored bit of jewelry, the weapon that killed them, or even an entire house. If defeated, a ghost reforms 1d4 days later at it's anchor.
Ethereal:Ghosts have no tangible form in the mortal world. They are not effected by non-magical physical attacks and can not normally be seen.
Manifest: Ghosts may choose to manifest, becoming spectral but visible, and able to effect the world although still immune to non-magical attacks.
Undead: +2 Toughness, +2 to recover from being Shaken, Don't suffer extra damage from called shots, Don't suffer from wound modifiers, Don't suffer from disease or poison.
Weakness (Anchor): If a ghost's anchor is destroyed, they are no longer able to remain in the world.
Weakness (Salt): Ghosts are effected by salt in crystal form, can be damaged by attacks delivered by salt, and can not cross a line or circle made of salt.

Lycanthropy
Lycanthrope is a curse inflicted by powerful spellcaster or spirit onto a human. It's sometimes the final "death curse" of powerful spellcaster, but is more often invoked through a complicated ritual. The curse is similar to Spirit Bonded and Abominations, only the nature spirit is one of rabies: A disease of madness and aggression, and the human is unwilling. During the three nights surrounding a full moon, a victim of the curse transforms into a partially canine, partially human form, and is driven on a rampage of violence. Typically such individuals awake in the morning in a strange place with terrible nightmares that prove all to real. Although a lycanthrope is human most of the time, the transformed creature tends to have only animal like intelligence. Those transformed by the curse have only animal like intelligence while but retain memories of their human life and may seek vengeance for wrongs or attack perceived threats.
Tip: When making Lycanthropes make two sets of stats: one for the mortal human form, and one for the cursed form. The common traits listed below are for the cursed form, as the mortal form is essentially human.
Lycanthrope Common Traits:
Immunity (Diseases): As vessels of a disease spirit, lycanthropes can not truly catch a sickness.
Infection (Rabies): A character wounded or shaken by a Lycanthrope must make a Vigor roll to avoid catching Rabies. Rabies is a Long-Term Chronic Majorly Debilitating Induction disease.
Invulnerability: Lycanthropes can only be Can only be wounded by a listed weakness.
Weakness (Fire): Fire damage bypasses invulnerability.
Weakness (Silver): Attacks from silver weapons bypass invulnerability.

Muses
Muses are a strange type of spirit from beyond the veil. Unlike demons or fey, which clearly have their own society, muses seem to be single minded with very little personality of their own. Each muse is dominated by a single emotional state or drive, and they seem to exist only to generate more of that state. Muses that slip through a crack in the veil attach themselves to a mortal experiencing their associated emotion, and drive them, and others near by, to extremes of that emotion, seeming to bask or feed off the emotions of mortals. Rarely a muse attaches themselves to an object associated with an emotion, like a weapon used to kill in anger, or a mirror used by a vain model. These object anchors are commonly used when a muses is summoned. Muses are usually unable, or unwilling, to change hosts, and can be very "protective" of their hosts. Muses sometimes pose as invisible friends, and some older and more powerful muses have the ability to appear as someone the viewer associates with an emotion, like a loved parent or a bored DMV clerk. Muses are rarely directly dangerous, but they can easily drive their hosts or those around them to criminal or violent acts. Muses of Anger, Depression, or Greed are obviously dangerous, but even muses of Love, Hunger, and Curiosity can drive a person to criminal and violent behavior when taken to an extreme.
Muse Common Traits:
Anchor Bound: Muses anchor themselves to the mortal world by binding themselves to an anchoring person or object. While the bound, they can be defeated but not truly killed. If defeated, they reform 1d4 hours later near their anchor. Muses anchored to a person continually subject that person to their Drive Emotions power, keeping them a suitable host. Additionally, muses must remain within 10" of their anchoring person or object.
Drive Emotions: Muses tend to bring out their associated emotional state in those near them. This is normally a subtle effect, but when concentrated on target it's similar to the Puppet power but only allows behaviors and actions related to the emotional state. Muses use their Spirit die as their arcane skill, and can cast and maintain the power indefinitely.
Ethereal: Muses have no tangible form in the mortal world. They are not effected by non-magical physical attacks and can not normally be seen. Muses may choose to be seen by those experiencing their related emotion, including human "anchors."
Weakness (Anchor): Muses can only remain in the mortal world while their anchoring person or object is present, and still associated with the muse's primary emotional state. Example: A muse of depression linked to a teenager can only remain in the world while the teenager is depressed, something they the muse would strive to maintain, while a muse of anger linked to a weapon can't remain in the world if the weapon is destroyed or used for a noble purpose.
Weakness (Running Water): Submersion defeats them, although they will reform at their anchor.
Weakness (Wrought Iron): Wrought Iron can effect a muse, and wrought iron weapons can be used to attack them, although defeating them with iron will not prevent them reforming at their anchor.

Revenants
Revenants are intelligent, and vengeful, dead. Unlike ghosts, they have a body to interact with the world. Most revenants a formed through unjust deaths that leave the body mostly intact. Some revenants are little more that skeletons, while others are all but indistinguishable from the living. Most are aware of their undead nature but some revenants, often the recently slain, are unaware of their true nature, at least at first. While most revenants "rise" from the dead in their own corpses, a handful rise in the corpse of an adjacent victim of the same accidents. A wife might rise as a revenant in her husbands less damaged corpse from a car accident. Revenants are driven by vengeance, and can not rest truly until those responsible for their death have been killed. Dismembering or burning isn't enough to stop most revenants, as the lots parts eventually vanish, no mater how well secured. Magical wards are said to have once kept a revenant from reforming for 100 years until the centennial anniversary of it's original death, when the urns containing ashes of the cremated body vanished from 5 different churches on three continents. While a revenant can't easily be stopped, their is always a way, but the method for doing so intensely personal, often related to the revenant's life, or their death. A man hung for a crime he didn't commit might be killed again with hanging, or a woman that was deathly afraid of dogs her whole life might be vulnerable to dogs as a revenant. The revenant concept of vengence can be far reaching. For example, while drunk drive might be responsible for an accident, a revenant may hunt down everyone in the other car instead of just the driver. Long dead revenants have been known to hunt down the offspring or decadents of guilty parties long dead as well. Revenants generally retain the abilities they had in life, but a handful gain special abilities related to their death, such as fire related abilities for a person killed in a fire.
Revenant Common Powers
Eternal Vengeance: A Revenant can not rest as long as their vengeance is unfulfilled. If a revenant is "killed," they reanimate a 1d4 minutes later. If the body is destroyed, it reforms 1d4 days later, often near the site of the original killing. Extreme measures can delay this further, but rarely past anniversaries of the target's original death.
Undead: +2 Toughness, +2 to recover from being Shaken, Don't suffer extra damage from called shots, Don't suffer from wound modifiers, Don't suffer from disease or poison.
Vengeance Driven: Revenants sense those they have targeted for vengeance. They have a general idea of direction and distance.
Weakness (Variable): Revenants always have a weakness, something that can kill them keep then dead, but it's always unique to the revenant's life.

Details
A monster is more than just the combination of it's base stats and type related traits. It also needs unique details to flesh it out, depending on it's nature. For example, a Boogeyman is a Fey Monster using the Hunter Base Stats, but it also has an ability that makes in invisible in bright light, size -1, a few tweaked skills, and trademark weapon (blade.)

The objective here is to make a SINS monster tool box that can be used to quickly develop monsters depending on the needs of an episode. Need a manipulator demon? Use Beguiler base stats, Demon traits, and a bit of customizing/re-skinning. Did the players just release the ghost of a T-Rex to rampage through a city park? Destroyer with Ghost traits is a good place to start. Boogeyman stealing children from the orphanage? Hunter with Fey traits.

Or, I could use:
The "Face" archetype with the demon quality and some 'wish-providing' powers.
The Drake monster, with Incorporeal instead of Hardy.
Either Goblins for many small boogeymen or a Goblin the size of an orc and half-immunity to non-magical attacks (except for cold iron).

It's pretty obvious that your system was inspired by Agents of Oblivion and D20 monster design. And maybe it's a necessary part of your setting. But, to me, it seems like an unnecessary frill._________________"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."

It's pretty obvious that your system was inspired by Agents of Oblivion and D20 monster design. And maybe it's a necessary part of your setting. But, to me, it seems like an unnecessary frill.

I DM'd both 3.X and 4th edition D&D, and the change from monster type to monster role being used to determine basic stats was something I liked about 4th edition.

That said, I do catch your point. I'm over thinking this, and I'm over-standardizing the monsters. I guess I should scale things back to a small section of advice for making SINS monsters and then a collection of monsters ready to play, not unlike the version in the current draft. I'll also go ahead and make them less standardized by type as well. I want players to investigate monsters, with that "How do I kill it?" situation common in Buffy/Angel/Supernatural episodes, among others.

I do think SINS monsters are a bit different than standard Savage Worlds monsters. This isn't a dungeon crawl, and you don't slaughter goblins by the droves. For example, having a single, if upgraded, goblin stealing kids isn't much of challenge when you run into it, even if you call it a boogeyman.

I'm going to have to work my way through the monster section and reorganize it, and streamline some of the monster entries a bit, but I think I'm finally wrapping my head around how the chapter needs to be handled.

For example, having a single, if upgraded, goblin stealing kids isn't much of challenge when you run into it, even if you call it a boogeyman.

I've used a Wolf to kill a party of four Novice Wild Cards. Use of stealth, darkness, cover, and clever wild attacks let him tear the PCs apart.
Goblins have similar lethality, and the difference between a Goblin and an Orc is two steps of Size and Strength, plus one step of Vigor. And, as Evernight taught those that ran it, orcs are murderous fiends that destroy parties.

Toughness 7 Wild Card, and half damage from most of their attacks, is going to be a tough nut even when they do actually hit. Since they'll be relying upon Hald actions, it will take great luck (Joker - Shotgun to Face! Acing! 39 damage, reduces to 19, for three wounds) to end that fight quickly.

It doesn't take much to be a monster in Savage Worlds. I had to learn that the hard way, as most people do. The difference in survivability between toughness 4 and toughness 5 is huge; same for toughness 6 and toughness 7; attacks that would shake you don't hurt at all thanks to that one point of toughness, and attacks that would wound you are simply shaken results. It's mind boggling how much difference that one point of toughness can make.

Regardless, best of luck to you._________________"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."

Glad I could help.
I've used a Wolf to kill a party of four Novice Wild Cards. Use of stealth, darkness, cover, and clever wild attacks let him tear the PCs apart.
Goblins have similar lethality, and the difference between a Goblin and an Orc is two steps of Size and Strength, plus one step of Vigor. And, as Evernight taught those that ran it, orcs are murderous fiends that destroy parties.

Toughness 7 Wild Card, and half damage from most of their attacks, is going to be a tough nut even when they do actually hit. Since they'll be relying upon Hald actions, it will take great luck (Joker - Shotgun to Face! Acing! 39 damage, reduces to 19, for three wounds) to end that fight quickly.

It doesn't take much to be a monster in Savage Worlds. I had to learn that the hard way, as most people do. The difference in survivability between toughness 4 and toughness 5 is huge; same for toughness 6 and toughness 7; attacks that would shake you don't hurt at all thanks to that one point of toughness, and attacks that would wound you are simply shaken results. It's mind boggling how much difference that one point of toughness can make.

Regardless, best of luck to you.

Yah. I need a playtest group.

A boogeyman isn't the toughest little bastard around, but an invisible wildcard with a knife and (limited) invulnerability might actually be rather dangerous, now that you mention it.

Are you guys interested in looking over my monster listings and pointing out anything I need to be concerned about?

He doesn't even need true Invisibility. A dark building (maybe with some ambient magic that reduces flashlights to candle-level illumination) and a good stealth skill will let him be practically invisible.

One good way I've found to get play-testers is the weekly college gaming club meetings. I, a non-student, show up and run a one-shot. I've gotten several folks to step up and start playing RPGs, I've spread the Savage love, and gotten to test a few setting and house rules. Plus I've managed to play most of the PEG one-sheets. It's been a great investment of some of my Saturday nights._________________"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."

He doesn't even need true Invisibility. A dark building (maybe with some ambient magic that reduces flashlights to candle-level illumination) and a good stealth skill will let him be practically invisible. :twisted:

The core concept of the Boogeyman, as an elevator pitch: "A twisted fey monster that stalks children and vanishes when the lights come on."

So, let's try this as an example format and concept:

Boogeymen
Boogeymen are twisted goblin-like fey from the spirit world. They seek to steal children, but their fey code prevents them from taking kids without permission. A boogeyman will lurk in a house, causing mischief to be blamed on a child, hoping the parents will say something similar to "Behave or a monster will come and take you away." Boogeymen are experts at lurking in shadows, and vanish when in direct light.
Cases Uses: A child stands accused of various crimes claims they were committed by a monster. A babysitter accused of loosing a child claims she heard voices in the house. A parent accused of child abuse has no idea how his kid was injured.
Clues: Each boogeyman has a signature blade, like silver shears or an old cleaver, which can help identify them. The marks on a boogeyman's fey door are unique to each boogeyman. Boogeymen maintain their spirit bodies by feeding on sweets, like candy, ice-cream, and other foods children love.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6 (+1 Signature Blade), Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Taunt d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d10, Throwing d6, Swimming d6
Pace: 5, Parry: 5, Toughness: 4
Gear: Signature Blade (Str+d4+1), Slingshot (Str+d4, 4/8/16)
Special Abilities:

Fairy Doors: Boogeymen can craft fairy doors by drawing a door like shape on a flat surface and placing their mark upon it. They may "open" a fairy door and step through it to emerge from a similar door elsewhere, effectively teleporting. Others may use or close the door while it is open, but only a fey can open the door.

Fear: Actually seeing a Boogeyman is terrifying, even to adults.

Fey Traits: Boogeymen take only half damage from weapons, except Wrought Iron. They can not tell a direct lie, but can lie by omission.

I like it. It does what it needs to do, has a few traits that make it nasty in a fight, but isn't severely over-built. Either as an Extra or a Wild Card, it should be an interesting and challenging foe._________________"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."

So I'm working my way back through the monster section I had written before, remaking or updating monster entries to better fit the new "mold" for the section. I have run into a few thoughts along the way that I was hoping to get feed back on:

Damage Resistance vs Unarmed Attacks
I talk about SINS as The Wire meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and so I had a thought: in Buffy/Angel type shows, it's common for the good guys to beat up and eventually defeat monsters with their bare hands. They rarely fight with weapons (likely because props cost money and require better fight choreography). I was wondering about making the "half-damage" rule only apply to weapons, like guns or swords. Old school hand to hand fighting (or K-9 Dog Unit dog bites) world fine... maybe something about the human (or dog) spirit in the flesh. I'm already making the ability not effect "non-weapon" damage like Fire or Electricity. It encourages creative monster hunting, and the under funded SI Police Unit is unlike to get their hands on a Flame Thrower... besides demons are immune to fire.

Mixing Monsters & Mortals
The first draft of the chapter had humans at the front, separated between civilians, emergency reponders, and criminals; then followed by a section full of monsters broken down by type, like nature and demons, etc. I'm throwing out the monster by type break down, and the mortals by type break down, and considering just mixing everything together. That would but Burglar after Abomination and Boogeyman but before Changeling. I know the Horror Companion does this, more or less. Alternatively, I could use some broader types... so Criminals would be listed after Changelings, and would include Burglars as a sub-listing.
What do you guys think would be most useful?

First Part: I like it. It makes the Martial Artist archetype a lot more powerful, but I still like it.

Second Part: I'd split the Normals and the Monsters into two sections. If I want a mundane crook, I'll peruse one section. If I want a supernatural crook then I'll check the other section. Within sections, keep them roughly alphabetical (though large thematic groups, like Demons in the HC, could be lumped into a subsection)._________________"Got a problem? I've got the solution: Rocket Launcher."
"Not against a Servitor."
"... We're all gonna die."

Abominations
Abominations are people that have used a corrupt form of the spirit bonding ritual to forcibly bind a nature spirit against its will. They can use this bound spirit to transform into a specific hybrid animal-human form. The rage of the trapped spirit bleeds through into their actions and mindset while transformed. The effect is often very addicting, and many abominations eventually turn dangerous and being hunting people.
The binding ritual traps the nature spirit in a specific object which the person must be wearing to transform. Rings, belts, and cloaks are common objects, often made in the likeness or from the spirit animal they bind. Without this totem object, they are powerless.
Cases: An angry young man finds his father's wolf hide belt and gains power he isn't ready to control. Reports a large bird in a neighborhood coincide with a suspect leaping from a bridge to escape arrest. A heirloom engagement ring turns a woman planning her wedding into a real monster.
Clues: A woman never seen without her feather boa or strange ring. Odd tracks or claw marks that are neither animal nor human, A human tooth found in an inhuman bite wound.
The following stats cover the hybrid animal forms of an abomination. Their human forms are often very normal.

Harpies
Harpies are humans with the ability to take on half-man half-bird forms. Their arms become wings, and their feet become massive bird talons. Depending on the bird spirits involved, harpies may come in bonded pairs, or small flocks.
Attributes: Agility d12, Smarts d6 Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d10, Notice d12, Persuasion d6, Piloting d4, Stealth d8, Survival d8, Throwing d10, Tracking d6
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:
• Extraction: When withdrawing from combat through flight, the Harpy may make an Agility roll to prevent one creature from getting a free attack.
• Fast Regeneration: Harpies make a Vigor roll every round, with successes and raises removing wounds, or removing the Incapacitated status. they also have a +2 to recover from being Shaken.
• Fear: Abominations in hybrid form are terrifying to behold, and require a Fear check.
• Flight: Harpies gain a flight speed of 8, and may "run" using a d10.
• Snatch: A raise on a talon attack allows the harpy to grab an object worn or held by the target instead of dealing damage.
• Talons: Str+d6, and the talon like feet may use simple tools and controls.
• Transformed: When killed or unconscious, an Abomination reverts to its human form.
• Weakness (Silver): Damage from Silver does not regenerate, including damage taken from silver while human before a transformation.

Werewolf
Abominations of the wolf bond ritual, werewolves are humans with the ability to take on half-man half-wolf forms. They grow claws, fanged snouts, and become covered in hair. Werewolves often travel in small packs, but sometimes a "lone wolf" abomination is encountered. Werewolves can easily be mistaken for wolf-bonded or lycanthropes by those unaware of the differences.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 Spirit d8, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d6, Survival d8, Tracking d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 7
Special Abilities:
• Claws/Bite: Str+d8
• Fast Regeneration: Werewolf make a Vigor roll every round, with successes and raises removing wounds, or removing the Incapacitated status. they also have a +2 to recover from being Shaken.
• Fear: Abominations in hybrid form are terrifying to behold, and require a Fear check.
• Loping Gate: Werewolves may run on all fours, using a d10 for running, although their standard upright Pace is unchanged.
• Transformed: When killed or unconscious, an Abomination reverts to its human form.
• Weakness (Silver): Damage from Silver does not regenerate, including damage taken from silver while human before a transformation.

Changeling
Sometimes a powerful fey creature steals a human child from their crib. Their fey honor, however, does not let them take without giving, so they use their magic to transform an animal into human infant, and leave it in the crib as a replacement. These transformed animals are changelings, and although given a human form through magic, they are not exactly human. Many spend their childhood not knowing the truth of their own nature, growing up like any other human child. As they grow, their animal natures often show in subtle ways. A cat changeling may fear dogs, while a bear changeling may grow in size and bulk well beyond average. The powerful magic that gives a changeling human form is not perfect, and strong emotions, often around puberty, can strain the magic causing the changeling to partially revert to its animal state for a short time, and take on a hybrid animal-like form. The following stats cover these dangerous hybrid forms. Many changelings lose some of their higher, human, thought processes while in the hybrid state. The real danger is that too much strain on the magic will cause the transformation spell to break, permanently leaving the changeling in its animal state.
Cases: One of a pair of not so identical twins turns on his family for having "let this happen to him." Series of people connected with an angry teenager suffer strange animal attacks. An amateur werewolf hunter is killed when silver bullets fail to work.
Clues: Foot prints change into oversized animal like tracks. Trace evidence is "contaminated" with animal samples. A suspect's animal like build, hair, or eye color don't match their parents or ancestry. Report of a young exotic animal going missing from the zoo lines up with a few days after a suspect's birth.

(WC) Feline Changeling
These cat related stats cover the hybrid form of any kind of feline changeling from a house cat up through a tiger or lion.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8, Survival d6, Tracking d6
Pace: 7, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:
• Acrobat: +2 to Agility rolls to perform acrobatic maneuvers; +1 to Parry if unencumbered.
• Claws/Bite: Str+d6
• Fast Regeneration: The Changeling makes a Vigor check every round, with successes and raises removing wounds, or removing the Incapacitated status. It also provides a +2 to recover from being Shaken.
• Fear: Seeing the hybrid form of a changeling is frightening and requires a Fear check.
• Fleet-Footed: The changeling uses a d10 for running.
• Frenzy: The hybrid form may make two attacks at a -2 penalty.
• Low Light Vision: Feline Changelings do not take penalties for Dim or Dark lighting.
• Transformed: A changeling rendered unconscious reverts to human form. If slain, or if the fey magic is broken, the changeling reverts to it's true animal form.
• Weakness (Wrought Iron): Changelings do not regenerate damage from Wrought Iron weapons.

(WC) Frog Changeling
These stats represent an amphibian changeling that emits a toxin through their skin and has a long tongue. Pickerel frogs, native to Louisiana, or a more exotic variety to would be examples.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d6, Swimming d8,Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Survival d6, Swimming d8
Pace: 5, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:
• Amphibious: Swim Pace 6, cannot drown.
• Bite: Str+d4
• Fast Regeneration: The Changeling makes a Vigor check every round, with successes and raises removing wounds, or removing the Incapacitated status. It also provides a +2 to recover from being Shaken.
• Fear: Seeing the hybrid form of a changeling is frightening and requires a Fear check.
• Leap: As an action, this changeling may leap up to 8"
• Tongue: Grappling, Reach 3
• Toxic Skin: Similar to the Damage Field power, anyone touched by the changeling or who touches it, including unarmed attacks, must make a Vigor roll or suffer Paralysis Poison. Bite and Tongue attacks are not toxic.
• Transformed: A changeling rendered unconscious reverts to human form. If slain, or if the fey magic is broken, the changeling reverts to it's true animal form.
• Walk Walker: This changeling may walk on vertical surfaces at its pace of 5.
• Weakness (Wrought Iron): Changelings do not regenerate damage from Wrought Iron weapons.

Demonic Spirits
Demons are spirits from beyond the veil that are among the most destructive spirits, and sadly among those most interested in humanity. Demons are especially interested in collecting human souls, and often make deals to that end although no one is sure what they do with the souls. Demons frequently take on Spirit Bodies when in the mortal world, and maintain these bodies by consuming meat. Various demons develop a preference for particular types of food, like human hearts, the blood of virgins, or bone marrow.
Cases: A desperate father makes a bargain with a demon that doesn't work out as he hoped. A serial killer is harvesting the eyes, or hearts, of victims.
Clues: The smell of brimstone at a crime scene. Ritual circles of blood, or live sacrifices of animals or even people.

Demonic Hound
These infernal creatures are the size of a small bear, and are covered in a mismatch of hair, scales, and spines. Mortals that become Pact Bound with a demon are often give the ability to summon one or more demon hounds using the Summon Ally power.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d10, Survival d6, Tracking d10
Pace: 8, Parry: 5, Toughness: 6
Special Abilities:
• Bite: Str+1d6
• Demonic Traits: Demons resist normal weapons, taking half damage, except Wrought Iron. They also take 2d6 damage from being splashed with holy water, and must make a Spirit Roll when presented with a holy symbol or are shaken. Immune to disease and poison.
• Immunity: Fire
• Brimstone Bite: On a raise with a bite attack, the Demonic breaths forth hellfire, doing fire damage with a bonus d10 instead of standard d6.
• Size +1: Demonic hounds are the size of a small bear.
• Spirit Body: When a demonic hound is defeated, they are cast back into the spirit world.

(WC) Demon Possessed Mortal
These stats represent an average person that has been possessed by a Horned Lord demon. The horned lord has access to the host body's abilities, although not necessarily it's thoughts. The demonic spirit enhances the host body, making it stronger and giving it the ability to heal rapidly. Demons rarely show much concern for their host body, and will fight on even with terrible wounds.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d10, Vigor d6
Skills: Driving d6, Knowledge (Job) d6, Notice d4, Persuasion d4
Charisma: 0, Pace: 6, Parry: 3, Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:
• Driven: Demon Possessed gain a +2 to recover from being Shaken.
• Immunity: Fire
• Improved Nerves of Steel: The demon ignores the first two wounds penalties inflicted on the host body.
• Interrogate Host: As an action, the demon may use the Mind Reading power on its host body, without paying the power point cost.
• Possessed: When the host body is killed, or the spirit is somehow driven out, the possessing Horned Lord forms in its spirit body in an adjacent unoccupied space.
• Slow Regeneration: Demon possessed mortals make a Natural Healing check once per day.
• Powers: Demon Possessed have 10 power points, use their Spirit die for casting, and typically know the following spells: Conjure Demonic Hound (Summon Ally), Hellfire Aura (Damage Field), Telekinetic Rage (Pummel)
• Weakness (Holy): Demon possessed take 2d6 damage from being splashed with holy water, and must make a Spirit Roll when presented with a holy symbol or are shaken.
• Weakness (Host): An unwilling host may make an opposed spirit roll once per day to try and cast out the demon possessing it. It is also entitled to an opposed roll if the demon attempt especially terrible acts, like attacking friends or committing suicide.

(WC) Horned Lord
Horned lords, when in their spirit form, often look like the stereotypical devils, with red skin, horns, and goat legs. Their exact forms vary widely, but they always have horns of one kind or another.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d10, Vigor d8
Skills: Fighting d12, Intimidation d8, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Taunt d8, Throwing d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 8, Toughness: 7
Special Abilities:
• Horns: Str+1d4
• Demonic Traits: Demons resist normal weapons, taking half damage, except Wrought Iron. They also take 2d6 damage from being splashed with holy water, and must make a Spirit Roll when presented with a holy symbol or are shaken. Immune to Disease and Poison.
• Driven: Horned Lords get a +2 bonus to recover from being shaken.
• Fear: Those who see a Horned Lord must make a Fear check at -2.
• Gore: If the demon charges at least 6" before attacking, they add +4 to their damage total.
• Immunity: Disease, Fire, Poison
• Powers: Horned Lords have 10 power points, use their Spirit die for casting, and typically know the following spells: Brimstone Breath (Blast), Flame Skin (Damage Field), Wings of smoke and fire (Fly)
• Size +1: Horned Lords stand over 6 feet tall.
• Spirit Body: When a horned lord is defeated, they are cast back into the spirit world.

(WC) Siren
In their spirit form, Sirens look like beautiful women with talon like hands and feet, and a pair of massive black vulture wings. They often have glowing eyes, pointed teeth, forked snake tongues, and possibly horns. They can also take on a form like a beautiful woman, losing all outward signs of demonic nature. Sirens are known to be among the most skilled liars and most manipulative spirits.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d12, Taunt d6
Charisma: +2 (+4 Pleasing Form), Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:
• Claws: Str+1d6, demonic form only.
• Dedicated Song: A Siren may target a song power at a specific individual in the area of effect by weaving their name into the song. They must first learn the name of the target.
• Demonic Traits: Demons resist normal weapons, taking half damage, except Wrought Iron. They also take 2d6 damage from being splashed with holy water, and must make a Spirit Roll when presented with a holy symbol or are shaken. Immune to Disease and Poison.
• Fear: Those who see a Siren in her demonic form must make a Fear check.
• Flight: Vulture like wings provide flight at pace 8" and with a d10 running die. Demonic form only.
• Hell's Embrace: On a raise with a claw or unarmed attack, the Siren may forgo bonus damage to kiss an unwilling target instead. Targets kissed by a Siren takes a -2 penalty to resisting that siren's song powers for 24 hours.
• Pleasing Form: As an action, a Siren can change between its demonic form and that of a similar looking attractive female form. This form is unique and specific to each Siren. In this human form, the siren has a +4 Charisma bonus due to Charisma and Attractiveness.
• Songs Infernal: Sirens may use any of the following powers simply by taking an action to sing, using their Spirit die for casting. The powers effect everyone that can hear the song in a large burst, and in the case of Puppet, all targets get the same commands: Song of Domination (Puppet), Song of Nightmares (Slumber), Song of Pain (Stun).
• Spirit Body: When a siren is defeated, they are cast back into the spirit world.

Fey
Fairies encompass a large number of stranger entities that vary between lithe humanoids of magical prowess to tiny winged sprites and even monstrous creatures easily mistaken for demons. The fey are interested in humanity for the spark of mortal life. Because the spark of life is brightest in children, fairies frequently seek to claim human infants. Fairies tend to rely on magical abilities over physical ones, and would be much more dangerous if they weren't bound by a strange code of honor. Most fairies form spirit bodies in the mortal world, which they sustain with common food, often with a preference for milk or cream, bread, honey, mead and wines, or sweets.

(WC) Boogeyman
Boogeymen are twisted goblin-like fey. They seek to steal children, but their fey code prevents them from taking kids without permission. A boogeyman will lurk in a house, causing mischief to be blamed on a child, hoping the parents will say something similar to "Behave or a monster will come and take you away." Boogeymen are experts at lurking in shadows, and vanish when in direct light.
Cases: A child accused of various crimes claims they were committed by a monster. A babysitter that lost a child claims she heard voices in the house. A parent arrested for child abuse has no idea how his kid was injured.
Clues: Each boogeyman has a signature blade, like silver shears or an old cleaver, which can help identify them. The marks on a boogeyman's fey door are unique to each boogeyman. Boogeymen maintain their spirit bodies by feeding on sweets, like candy, ice-cream, and other foods children love.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6
Skills: Climbing d6, Fighting d6 (+1 Signature blade), Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Taunt d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d10, Throwing d6, Swimming d6
Pace: 5, Parry: 5, Toughness: 4
Gear: Signature Blade (Str+d4+1), Slingshot (Str+d4, 4/8/16)
Special Abilities:
• Fairy Doors: Boogeymen can craft fairy doors by drawing a door like shape on a flat surface and placing their mark upon it. They may "open" a fairy door and step through it to emerge from a similar door elsewhere, effectively teleporting. Others may use or close the door while it is open, but only a fey can open the door.
• Fear: Actually seeing a Boogeyman is terrifying, even to adults.
• Fey Traits: Boogeymen take only half damage from weapons, except Wrought Iron. They cannot tell a direct lie, but can lie by omission.
• Low Light Vision: Boogeymen ignore penalties for dim light or darkness.
• Signature Blade: +1 to Fighting and damage with signature blade.
• Size -1: Boogeymen are not much larger than the children they stalk.
• Spirit Body: When a boogeyman is defeated, they are cast back into the spirit world.
• Weakness (Light): Boogeymen are rendered Invisible, Incorporeal, and Paralyzed while in light, but may act normally in dim light or darkness.
• Weakness (Name): Repeating a boogeyman's name backwards, as an action, forces them to make a Spirit roll or be shaken. This cannot inflict a Wound.
• Weakness (Permission): A Boogeyman needs permission from a child's guardian to directly harm or take a child. The guardian need not know the Boogeyman is listening in order to give this permission.

(WC) Fey Noble
Nobles among the fey courts, like the Queen of Storm or the Prince of Hearts, are entities with powerful magic at their disposal. They appear as tall, beautiful humanoids with strange cat-like eyes and inhuman hair colors. These creatures sometimes make their way to the mortal world, where they craft bargains with mortals to give wealth, power, or magic now in exchange for claiming a first born later.
Cases: A wealthy couple's first child has gone missing, and they don't seem to surprised. A desperate couple seeks to reacquire all their sold antique gold coins before their child is born.
Clues: A suspect's eye color changes between meetings. The marks on a fairy door are unique to each fey. Fey Nobles only eat cream, honey, bread, mead, or wine.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d8, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Notice d6, Persuasion d8, Taunt d8, Spellcasting d10, Stealth d4, Throwing d6
Charisma: +2, Pace: 6, Parry: 7, Toughness: 5
Gear: Silver Rapier (Str+d4, +1 Parry)
Special Abilities:
• Fairy Doors: Fey Nobles can craft fairy doors by drawing a door like shape on a flat surface and placing their mark upon it. They may "open" a fairy door and step through it to emerge from a similar door elsewhere, effectively teleporting. Others may use or close the door while it is open, but only a fey can open the door.
• Fey Traits: Fey Nobles take only half damage from weapons, except Wrought Iron. They cannot tell a direct lie, but can lie by omission.
• Glamour: Fey Nobles benefit from a magic aura that makes them seem more attractive. They gain a +2 Attractiveness bonus to Charisma.
• Magic: Fey Nobles have 20 Power Points, use the Spellcasting skill for casting, and typically know the following spells: Break Spell (Dispel), Fairy Lights (Confusion), Fairy Warding (Armor), Fey Masks (Disguise), Wall of Thorns (Barrier)
• Sense Magic: Fairy Lords benefit from a continuous Detect Arcana power.
• Spirit Body: When a Fey Noble is defeated, they are cast back into the spirit world.
• Weakness (Fairy Gold): Fey Nobles take full damage from weapons made from their own gold.
• Weakness (Name): Repeating a Fey Noble's name backwards, as an action, forces them to make a Spirit roll or be shaken. This cannot inflict a Wound. Fey Nobles typically go by titles instead of names to avoid this.

Ghost
Ghosts are the spirits of the dead. Normally when a person dies, their spirit is carried beyond the veil, but sometimes a spirit anchors itself to the mortal world, seeking to hold onto its life or complete some unfulfilled task. Other ghosts have passed beyond the veil and return through a crack in the veil or because they were summoned through magic. Ghosts are a varied group. Many are just strong enough to linger, but have very little abilities beyond that. Others have exhibited terrible supernatural feats beyond their abilities in life. Ghosts, already being dead, are notoriously difficult to "kill" but if the reason for them to remain in the world is fulfilled, they can move on willingly.
Cases: A demon possessed house has trapped the spirits of its victims inside. A serial killer attempts to carry on his "task" from beyond the grave. The confused victim of a murder haunts the place of its death until justice is done. People associated with a tragic accident are being attacked in bizarrely similar ways.
Clues: The crime scene is a famous site of an old murder with similar traits. Children claim to see strange apparitions at the site. Some parts of a the building are strangely cold. Compasses and signal reception act strangely.

Haunt
Haunts are simple ghosts bound to the building where they died or lived. Many are confused and do not realize they are dead, while others may be jealous of the living and seek to scare them off or do them harm.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d4, Vigor d4
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d6
Pace: 5, Parry: 5, Toughness: 6
Special Abilities:
• Anchored: Haunts are typically anchored to place or building. If defeated they reform within 1d4 days.
• Bound: Haunts cannot leave the place they are anchored too.
• Ethereal: Ghosts are normally intangible and invisible, and may only be harmed by magical attacks or salt. Haunts may choose to appear as they did in life, or as they do in death.
• Fear: Seeing a ghost appearing as it does in death requires a Fear check.
• Undead: +2 Toughness, +2 to recover from being Shaken, Don't suffer extra damage from called shots, Don't suffer from wound modifiers, Don't suffer from disease or poison.
• Weakness (Anchor): If the structure a ghost is connected with is destroyed, it is cast into the spirit world. Some ghosts are linked to a section of land, like a burial ground, which is harder to destroy than a building.
• Weakness (Salt): Ghosts can be harmed by salt, and are unable to pass or effect across a line or circle of salt.

(WC) Wraith
Wraiths are the angry dead, typically of people that have been killed instead of dying naturally. Their rage empowers their supernatural abilities, and they are typically much more dangerous than haunts. The stats below are typical for an angry ghost, but Directors are encouraged to tweak them for each ghost, such as making the ghost of an arson victim have flame abilities.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Knowledge (Occult) d10, Notice d8, Persuasion d12, Taunt d6
Pace: 5, Parry: 5, Toughness: 7
Special Abilities:
• Anchored: Wraiths are typically anchored to an object important to them in life, or related to their death. If defeated they reform within 1d4 days at their anchor.
• [b]Chilling Touch: Str+1d4 cold, AP 4
• Ethereal:[/b] Ghosts are normally intangible and invisible, and may only be harmed by magical attacks or one of their weaknesses. Ghosts may choose to appear as they did in life, or as they do in death.
• Fear -2: Seeing a wraith appearing as it does in death requires a Fear check.
• Flight: Wraiths fly at a rate of 5" with a climb of 3. They may run with a d6
• Undead: +2 Toughness, +2 to recover from being Shaken, Don't suffer extra damage from called shots, Don't suffer from wound modifiers, Don't suffer from disease or poison.
• Weakness (Anchor): If a ghost's anchor is destroyed, it is cast into the spirit world.
• Weakness (Daylight): Wraiths are destroyed if immersed in daylight, although they will reform at their anchor normally.
• Weakness (Salt): Ghosts can be harmed by salt, and are unable to pass or effect across a line or circle of salt.
• Weakness (Variable): Wraiths can be harmed by attacks similar to what killed them in the first place. E.G The ghost of a man killed in a car accident may be run over or attacked with a car bumper.

(WC) Muse
A muse is a simple spirits of emotion. Most have little personality or goals beyond creating more of their kindred emotion. They usually lurk just beyond the veil, feeding on the emotional content that bleeds through from the mortal world, but sometimes one slips through a crack in the veil and attaches itself to person feeling experiencing their linked emotion, often causing chaos in the wake of their host.
Muses come in a wide variety of emotional states, including love, hate, rage, boredom, lust, fear, hunger, joy, and more. Human emotions are a complicated thing, and a staggering amount of emotional states beyond the obvious anger or hate can inspire violent or criminal behavior. A muse of love might drive a woman to kill the existing girlfriend of her heart's desire, while a muse of greed could inspire incredible acts of theft, arson, or worse. Directors are encouraged to alter muses depending on the emotional state they are linked with.
Cases: A curios child's imaginary friend is driving people to taking serious risks. People literally die of boredom, or at least dehydration, at a DMV. Someone finds themselves obsessively stalked by numerous lovers competing admirers thanks to a gift.
Clues: A suspect seems only capable of feeling a single emotion. Everyone around a wedding ring feels like they are in love. Witnesses report seeing a ghostly apparition in the middle of a spontaneous riot.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d10, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d8
Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 5
Special Abilities:
• Anchored: Muses anchor themselves to the mortal world using a person feeling their linked emotion, or an object strongly linked to the emotion. If defeated, a muse reforms at its Anchor within 1d4 days.
• Ethereal: Muses are normally intangible and invisible. They are immune to non-magical attacks. Muses may only appear to those feeling their linked emotion, including those affected by the Inspire Emotion ability. They are unable to directly affect the physical world.
• Inspire Emotion: Anyone within a Medium burst of a muse must make a Spirit roll or feel a strong surge of the muse's linked emotion.
• Overwhelming Emotion: The target must make a Smarts roll at -2 or be Shaken by the overwhelming emotion.
• Puppet: A muse may use the Puppet power on anyone feeling their linked emotion, including those affected by the Inspire Emotion ability. It uses its Spirit die for casting.
• Weakness (Anchor): If the anchor is destroyed, or if it's emotional state is changed to no longer match the muse, the spirit cast back into the spirit world.
• Weakness (Emotion): Objects associated with a counter emotion can harm a muse, e.g. shards of a vanity mirror may harm a muse of shyness.

(WC) Lycanthrope
Unlike wolf-bonded and werewolves, Lycanthropes are humans that have been cursed to take on a monstrous form. Especially powerful spellcasters can use a ritual, or a death curse, to bind a corrupt spirit of disease to a target. The curse is tied to the moon, and on the night before, during, and after a full moon, the afflicted transforms into a monster and wreaks havoc.
The diseased spirit used in such curses is related to rabies, a sickness that ravages the mind and makes creatures aggressive. Transformed targets take on a partially canine, and partially human form, and go on a rampage each night, literally foaming at the fanged mouth, and often awakening in strange places with jumbled but disturbing memories. These stats represent a person transformed by the curse. Use standard human stats, like a civilian when the target isn't transformed.
Cases: A week after hitting a gypsy in a car accident, a man is missing after an "animal attack" kills his family. A rash of disappearances coincides with numerous rabies out breaks and the full moon.
Clues: Strange animal tracks, not exactly dog like, are found at the scene. Rabies infected bite wounds don't match dog teeth. Strange howling only around the full moon.
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12+2, Vigor d8
Skills: Climbing d8, Fighting d12+2, Intimidation d10, Notice d12, Swimming d10, Stealth d10, Survival d10, Tracking d10
Pace: 8, Parry: 9, Toughness: 7
Special Abilities:
• Claws/Bite: Str+d8, Vigor roll or Disease
• Fear -2: Transformed Lycanthropes are terrifying to behold, and require a Fear check.
• Improved Frenzy: A lycanthrope may make two attacks at no penalty.
• Infection (Rabies): Lycanthropes carry and transmit rabies while transformed. This is a Long-Term Chronic Majorly Debilitating disease, spread by Induction, and requires medicine for treatment or is ultimately lethal.
• Invulnerability: Non-silver weapons can only shaken a Lycanthrope, not wound it.
• Size +1
• Transformed: A lycanthrope that is killed or rendered unconscious reverts o human form.
• Weakness (Silver): Damage from silver may inflict wounds on a Lycanthrope.

(WC) Revenant
Revenants are intelligent, vengeful, dead. Unlike ghosts, they have a body, typically their own, with which to interact with the world. Most revenants are formed through an unjust deaths that leave the body mostly intact. Many pass for the living with only minimal covering, like a hat and long coat. Revenants are driven by vengeance, not justice, and cannot rest truly until all those responsible for their death have been killed. Revenants generally retain the abilities they had in life, but a handful gain special abilities related to their death or life.
Cases: A long dead revenant has returned, and begins killing off the descendants of those responsible for its death. One half of a couple killed in a multiple car accident stalks everyone that survived.
Clues: A body disappears from the morgue. A murder suspect thinks someone is stalking him. A dead man's finger prints are found at a crime scene.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
Skills: Driving d6, Fighting d8, Knowledge (Job) d6, Notice d6, Persuasion d4
Pace: 6, Parry: 6, Toughness: 8
Special Abilities:
• Undead: +2 Toughness, +2 to recover from being Shaken, Doesn't suffer extra damage from called shots, Doesn't suffer from wound modifiers, Doesn't suffer from disease or poison.
• Unending Vengeance: A defeated Revenant rises again 1d4 minutes later. Dismemberment can extend this to hours, but eventually dismembered limbs disappear and the body rises again at the site of the original death. Extreme measures, like dismemberment with the remains cremated and interred in consecrated ground on separate continents, might extend to the delay by years, but eventually on an anniversary of the original death, the Revenant will rise again.
• Vengeance Driven: Revenants gain a +1 to Fighting and damage rolls when making attacks against a target of their vengeance.
• Weakness (Variable): Each revenant has something unique to their life or death that can be used to kill them permanently.

Spirit Bonded
Spirit Bonded are humans that have undergone a bonding ritual with a willing nature spirit, typically an animal spirit. As a result, they can transform into a supernatural animal form. For the animal spirit to be willing to bond with a person, they must already exhibit similar personality traits as the animal, and typically the bonding strengthens these habits and traits. Snake-Bonded tend to be cautious and sneaky, while wolf-bonded tend to gather into packs with the strongest as the leader. The following stats represent the animal forms of a Spirit Bonded. For human forms, use the appropriate mortal stats.
Cases: A rat-bonded thief is breaking into places where no human could fit. A local gang has undertaken a wolf bonding ritual in order to drive the drug dealers from their neighborhood.
Clues: Tracks change from human to animal mid stride. Blood collected from an animal attack is human, but doesn't match the victim. All of the rat traps in a building have been sprung, but are empty.

(WC) Pack Alpha
The leader of a Wolf-Bonded pack is often the largest and most dangerous member, and the pack performs better in its presence. Use the Packmember stats, but make it a Wild Card with the following changes:
Toughness: 6
Special Abilities:
• Pack Alpha: Packmembers within the command radius of 5" gain a +1 to Fighting damage rolls and the Pack Alpha may share his Bennies with the Pack.
• Size +1

So as I finish up my monster section, I'm starting to wonder if the spellcasters should be listed in with the "mortals" or if they should be moved to the monsters section (which would need a new title.)

Would you expect to find "witch" or "hedge wizard" with the other supernatural things, or with the other human things?

Why not just put a spellcaster's section? That would solve it._________________Just about every kid today wants to be Batman, Spiderman, or Superman. Maybe if we were better parents they would not want to become orphans.

But it does open up a new department your group could interface with.
'Are you a licensed Magic User? I will have to see it."_________________"I say Mr. Chesterson, is that a giant ether squid following us?"
"Why yes it is Mrs. Monns."
"Well guess we should get ready to receive it."
"Blast I hate squid for dinner."
"But the cook has a new recipe.."

But it does open up a new department your group could interface with.
'Are you a licensed Magic User? I will have to see it."

Magic and Monsters are not public knowledge in the setting. This isn't a top level cover up and conspiracy like X-Files or MIB. This is a ground up, "no one would believe it if we wrote real paperwork" kind of cover up. The monsters and magic users themselves mostly keep a low profile, and if the players were to try and take evidence public, it wouldn't turn out well for them, as they would likely be laughed off the force. That's actually a part of the reputation mechanics for the system.

Spellcasters
So my current idea is to leave them in the Mortals section, but as sub-listings under the heading of Spellcasters. I haven't actually tried doing this yet, but I think it might work well. If it doesn't, then I'll just go back to having a Spellcaster listing. Thanks for the advice.

Update
I'm slogging my way through the Pilot Episode chapter, which is the last section that needs to be created, rather than just edited. It's a lot more difficult than I thought it would be, and it will need a lot of tweaking and editing before it's done. My page count is crossing the 100 mark, and there isn't any art in the book yet, let alone fixed layouts, so I'm expecting I'll need to crop a lot of of the book down. Of course, every time I re-read a section I find better, more direct, ways of saying things, or redudant sections that can get cut out.

Improvised Weapons
Anyways, my mind as wandered to the the idea of Weaknesses and Improvised weapons. I've been thinking that either the equipment section or the monster section could use a bit of ideas on the topic, or at the very least I have some fun ideas I wanted to share. I'm currently planning to attach it to the section on making silver bullets and salt-shot.

So part of the fun of monster hunting in SINS is finding a way to use a monster's weakness in combat. Unlike a Tolkienesque Setting, SINS character can't stop off at the local black smith and drop some gold on silver swords or cold iron axes. Instead, players are likely to use improvised weapons to fight demons, fey, ghosts, and muses. In some cases a Repair roll is needed to modify an item into a weapon, while in many it's fairly effective immediately.

It's actually something fun to think about when making a monster. You want the players to be able to fight the monster, once they figure out how. To that end you want to ensure that monsters have weakness that correspond to things you can weaponize.

Wrought Iron
Fire Poker
Nails (Repair roll to drive into a board or attach to a glove)
Older Tools

The other interesting thought is attaching, probably wrapping, objects around bludgeoning weapon to make it effective. For example, a Muse of rage is ethereal and therefore immune to nearly all weapons, but an item associated with love can hurt it. Not many love related clubs-like-objects around, but you could wrap a wedding veil around a police baton to suddenly make it effective. I imagine getting it to stick well enough to land multiple blows could call for a Repair roll.

Some monsters might only be hurt by weapons dipped in the blood of one of their victims, which is a fairly easy, if grizzly, trick. Similar concepts, like coating items in ashes, or writing specific symbols or words on a weapon, can also be easily handled.

Are there any other cool ideas I'm missing?

Last edited by BlackJaw on Wed Nov 14, 2012 10:23 am; edited 1 time in total

I've been distracted from working through the last chapter. In related news: I'm engaged!

Back on topic: my biggest concern at the moment is actually trying to get a group together for some play testing. I've only been in this state for about 5 months now, and so far I've only dug up one player. I could probably start testing with 2, but 3 would be nice.